How remove odor from interconnect?

Try WD40, it may remove any printing, but Cardas does somewhat impregnate their printing. If not another thing you might try, I learned this is the car business to get rid of odor in some cars. Fill a bag with fresh coffee grounds and place the cables in the bag for a week or so. Also you may call Cardas, they are great people and you never know, they might have a fix.

If you can’t get rid of the odor maybe try inserting them into some plastic or cellophane tubing and seal at both ends.  Best of luck. 

 Feels like Im missing something here..... how much could a pair of cables possibly smell ....?

Need to play lynyrd skynyrd - that smell, on a loop for a week.

                           sorry

Or try some Fabreze.

I would also say fabreze, but it sounds like you're being awfully picky 

Is it the aging elastomer smell that is soetimes sour almost like vomit that I have sometimes found on aging camping gear pulled out of storage? If so, good luck. My guess is they will likely end up in the trash.  I would try afternoon sunshine (outside).

Jerry

@winoguy17 I noticed the smell when I opened the zip lock bag that they were sent in, but I assumed it was just temporary.  I then listened to the cables and they sound fine.  But when I walked into my listening room the next morning (a spare bedroom) the smell was abundant and easily traced to the cables.  I placed them in the laundry room so the bedroom could air out, and then the laundry room reeked shortly thereafter.  I've tried airing them out outside for days but no luck.  My wife smells them just by walking by.

@skids 

@roxy54 

Actually, Fabreze may be what was used on the cables and that smell will just not leave.  I never liked the smell of Fabreze.  The odor is similar to cologne.

@carlsbad2 You're probably right, they will soon be in the trash.

I will try the coffee grounds and WD40 methods and try cooking them at a higher temperature and longer and then give it up.

Old Spice deodorant. Gets rid of the stank.  

@winoguy17 

Feels like Im missing something here..... how much could a pair of cables possibly smell ....?

Unlikely as it sounds, this is unfortunately a real thing that happened to me (with Cardas cables, like the OP's experience) not too long ago.  The odor was definitively repulsive when I was close enough to the cables to connect them to my equipment.  I have smelled similar odors on a couple of different used components I purchased over the years but never to the level of what I smelled on these recently purchased cables.  I assumed the seller was a prolific user of cologne.  Who knows, maybe he wore them around his neck to a rave?  It it wasn't until I read this thread that I entertained the notion that somebody may have (purposely?) sprinkled stink on the cables.  What type of weirdo would odorize their cables?!? Maybe trying to hide smoker smell?

To the OP - the good news is that the odor on the cables I received has become much less over the course of a month or two, so hang in there.  I didn't wash them, soak them, cook them, or bury them - just let them air out without getting too close.  You might try hanging them outside on a nice breezy day.

Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where a valet brings Jerry’s car to him and it reeks of BO. he tried everything to get rid of the smell but it won’t go away😂

Maybe that spray product that removes the foul odor when pets soil the carpet? Just a thought. 

All the best,
Nonoise

I'm giving @viridian 's vinegar suggestion a go.  I remember years ago when I had rental properties that a previous tenant's hallway had a strong urine odor.  I read that treating the area with a solution of baking soda and then later treating the same area with a solution of vinegar neutralized the smell, and it worked.  I also appreciate @mitch2 's same experience, maybe we purchased from the same seller.  If vinegar doesn't fix it, I'll just hang them outside or in the garage and check on them occasionally.

Thanks for everyone's comments!

Try Fabreze. 

Perhaps this?

https://www.amazon.com/Pooph-Odor-Eliminator-Spray-2-Pack/dp/B09V57YWN2?th=1

Unless they cost a lot of money just throw them away!

If you’re about to throw them away anyway, perhaps use a laundry bag and put through the washer.

I had a similar issue with power cables that smelt like crap. I cleaned the cables up as best as I could used vinegar on them and then I set them outside on a patio table during the hot summer months. Let them sit for about 3 months straight. Turned them over maybe once or twice and the sun naturally took care of the smell.

3% hydrogen peroxide (plenty of it).

Rinse with water, squeeze off water with a cotton towel and then air dry.

DeKay

Hard to say without knowing what causes the smell.

Smokers sometimes douse stuff in Febreeze to overpower their cigarette stench. It works, but it leaves Febreeze's own revolting scent behind. Which usually comes off pretty well with 99% isopropyl.

Unscented Febreeze works just as well but does not leave any scent.

put some shrink wrap on them and seal them away. 

The most practical solution is to move your gear outside for the summer

I must say,

I’ve never heard of stanky cables before, but if isopropyl alcohol didn’t faze it I don’t think that Febreeze would either.  I’ll ask around and if I find anything, I’ll definitely let you know.

All the best.

try activated charcoal in a sealed bag under the sun

get yourself an ionizer! It will eliminate any oder. It oxidizes any organic matter.  I have a "So Clean" machine  for my CPAP. It would do the job. They're handy for cleaning other things as well.

That is so funny. In the last 60 years of Hi-Fi I have never heard about smelly nor smelled cables before last week. I thought I was the only one till I read this post. A while back I cut my Monster Speaker cables to the correct length as they were ugly coiled under the new console. I put other speakers in the rotation and those connects are midway up now cables are too short. I found some used cables and bought them. They stayed in the car till I got home. The car smelled awful. I installed them and now the house smells awful. I disconnected them and put them in the garage. I tried all the cleaning products listed above. No luck. Now I'm with yowser and will probably throw them away. What a waste, now I know why the seller sold them.

I've got ask... what do they smell like? 

I actually just went over and smelled my cables...

Thanks.. I needed a good laugh...

@gbryant - In my case, it was the odor of bad men's cologne.  I have had this issue happen twice but this most recent event with the Cardas cables was the worst.  I assumed it was somebody's weird attempt to hide smoker odor.  I am not a cologne wearer so I am probably more sensitive than some to the odor.  Thankfully, they are short cables.

Yes, that was my case also.  I can't say for sure it was cologne but definitely a strong smell.  I previously stated an aromatic smell, but the dictionary defines aromatic as a pleasant smell.  After a few cycles of soaking with vinegar, rinsing and then baking in a toaster oven, the smell is barely there, only when my nose is about an inch away.  Initially I could smell them just walking in the room.  They are now usable, and I have them in my system now.  I suspect any remaining odor will subside.  Thanks to all for your suggestions!

Put them out in the sun. Bring them in.
Back out all day bring them in.
Try sunlight for a week.
Let the UV radiation do its work. 

I was thinking .... if these cables were from an Estate sale, there is a possibility that they were exposed to a decomposing human body. That is an awful smell and cannot be removed... you basically have to throw all in a fire.

Cannot be covered up with perfume or fabreeze... nothing.

@gbryant - Interesting observation.  In the case of my cables, the dude probably used his entire supply of Old Spice just before passing.

Use a cleaner with enzyme digesters. Let the cables soak (if they are covered in solid plastic  jacket) in the ensymes solution with the connectors out of the moisture. These solutions work when wet. They work on bad drains they will work on old spice.